Roland-Jones gets nod as Wood's cut down

A heel injury for England speedster Mark Wood has opened the door for Toby Roland-Jones to make his Test debut against South Africa

Cricket Network
26 July 2017

England will have at least two debutants in their playing XI for the third Test against South Africa at The Oval on Thursday, with bowler Toby Roland-Jones to play his maiden Test in place of Mark Wood.

He will join Essex batsman Tom Westley, who replaces another injured player in the under-fire Gary Ballance, in joining the pantheon of English Test cricketers, with the players to receive Test caps Nos.677 and 678.

"Wood is not 100 percent fit so he's going to miss out this week and Toby Roland-Jones comes in for a debut," Root told a press conference ahead of clash at The Oval.

England quick Wood has been struggling with foot injuries, and a heel injury has cost him participation in the third Test, the 100th to be played at The Oval in south London.

Roland-Jones has been a regular in the England Test squad and made his one-day international debut earlier this season in a match against the Proteas before the Champions Trophy tournament.

He bowled Middlesex to the County Championship's division one title last season, and could yet see county teammate Dawid Malan become a third England debutant in the match, with selectors still mulling dropping ineffectual spinner Liam Dawson.

Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson admitted he had found the step up to international cricket a steep learning curve this week, and his future at Test level is unclear.

After making his Test debut in India last December, Dawson took two wickets in each innings of the first Test against the Proteas at Lord's, before bowling just 18 overs and taking one wicket in the second at Trent Bridge.

Roland-Jones's Middlesex colleague Steven Finn, a veteran of 36 Tests, has been called up as stand by in the event of any further injuries to England's pace attack.